Measuring cylinder
A measuring cylinder is a tall, narrow tube with a scale of lines up the side.
What is it for?
It measures how much liquid you have, much more accurately than a beaker can.
How to use it
Stand it on a flat table, pour in the liquid, then read the scale at the bottom of the curved surface, with your eyes level with it.
🥽 Safety tip: Tall cylinders tip over easily, so keep them away from the edge of the table.
Fun fact from Fizzy: In America it is usually called a graduated cylinder, because the measuring lines are called graduations.
Reading it the right way
Water in a narrow tube curves down in the middle, making a dip called the meniscus. Scientists always read the line at the bottom of that dip. If your eyes are above or below it, the reading looks wrong, so bend down until you are level with it.
Pick a cylinder close to the amount you need. Measuring 8 millilitres in a 10 millilitre cylinder is far more accurate than measuring it in a 1 litre one.
Where you would see one
Measuring cylinders are made of glass or clear plastic and have a wide base so they stand up well. They are used in schools, hospitals and kitchens in food factories.